Cushion tire



Dec. 14 1926.

T. J. BENSON CUSHION TIRE Filed oct. 13, 1924 Patented THOMAS gr. enson,orran ncnna, rows.

cusnron TIRE.

" *Applica tionfiled Octeber 13,'192-l.' Serial No. 743,277/

y The primary object of this invention isto provlde an improvedcushiontire for, yehlcles to supplant the common. pneumatic tires anddo-away with the troubles inciden 5 to their use. 7 A further object ofthis invention :is-to provide an efiicient cushion tire having a rubberand fabricor cord casing and a series of spring elements embeddedtherein and spaced circumfer'entially of the tire.

1 '11 further object offthis-invention isto provide an improved cushiontirehaving a I casing and a series of sprlng elements embedded thereinin spaced relation, the casing v beingprovided withashock-absorbingelement adapted to; limit movement of the .tread portiontoward the wheel rim, thus preventing undue strain on the spring.elements. A further object ofthis-invention'is to provide an improvedcushion the having a series of spring elements embedded in a casing, thespring elements being connected circumferentially andtransverselynearthe rim portion'to'assist in holding themembers f in-proper place.

With these and other .objec-tsin :view, my.

invention consists in the construction, ar

rangement and co'mblnatlon of elements hereinafter set forth, pointedout in the drawing, in which V Figure l is a cross-section of -a cushiontire embodying my improvements Figure 2 is asection on th line Figure 1.g

Figure 3 is a cross-section, on'a smaller "scale, showing a'somewhatmodified form I of tire.

In the construction ofthe device as shown the numeral 10 designatesgenerally a cas' I ing, which may beconstr'ucted according to presentmethods, oflrubber, rubber and fab ric, cords or the like in anysuitable manner.

The casing may'vary insize, form and type self tothe specific form orconstruction herein shown, except asindicated by the scope of theclaims.Any suitablemeans may be provided for the holding of the casing ona'wheel rim ofanysuitable type, not shown. Aseries of spring elementsare provided, indicated generally by the numeraljll', each;

preferably formed. of spring wire and bent shapeyof the casing 10, I orsubstantially claims and illustrated by the accompanying.

to fit particular needs. or desires, and I do not wish to be understoodas limiting my'.

to' conform in general to the cross-sectional horse-shoe? form. Thespring elements 11 are molded and embedded inthe casing 10' andpreferably do not protrude. therefrom at any point but are entirelyhidden and coy-I ere'd; thereby, said spring elements; being su tablyspaced circumferentially of the casmg as indicated in Figure 2. In itscentral portion, adjacent the tread of" the tire, each spring elementisformed with a" circu lar loop or eye 1 12, integrally formed by bendingthe springlwireof whichthe-element is made. Anannular spring,1 3,-inthis instance a rod or heavy wire, extends circumferentially of thetread; portion of the;

casing and passes through theloops'12of all ofthe spring elements 11.

'At their respective ends, which are located adjacent-the rim portion ofthe cas- H ing, the'spring elements 11 areformed with v integral eyes1%, 15, and :through the eyes of said spring-elements are passed wires16,

17 respectively, extending circumferentially of the casing. Thesewires16, 17 need not be of spring material, but are similar to the wiresordinarily embedded in'the rim portions ofcasings of common form,toasslst in holding: the. caslng -l1'1 properl shape d P ition.

In practical use,

the casing 10 is held in nearly normal position," and resiliency isprovided, byf'the series'of spring elements 11 and" the annular spring13,,the load-being borne successively by one or more spring ele- I mentscircumferentiallyof the tire as it revolves. As is common with othertires,.the

casing and'with itth'e spring elementsmay yield laterally to greaterorless extent, depending upon the amount ofltheload and the excesspressure applied at times by jolts and shocks occasioned by bumps,obstruc tions or unevenness in the road surface.

I have deemed it desirable to provlde within the caslng' 10 an integralshock-absorbing elementsuch as 18, which is of substantially rectangularform in cross-section and extends from thetreadportion of the casingtoward the rim, with its 2;reater-transverse dimension arrangedradiallyfof the tire. Thisushock-absorbmg element s of somewhat lesswidth than the spacing of the base portions of the casing, between whichit may pass at times when the tire isfcom- 'pressedjorfiattened, Thefunctionflofthis jmember is tocontact at its inner margin with the'rimon which the -tire is mounted,

and limit flattening of the casing under ex- 7 treme pressure such asmight be caused by body of the casing, has some inherent resilience andabsorbs some of the shock, but its primary function s to take strain ofsuch an emergency from the spring elements 11' and prevent theirbreaking by being bent too far laterally. H

In Figure?) I have shown the spring ele ments ll extended at their innerends be yondthe eyes 14, 15, to form a time me1nber 19 rigidlyconnecting the eyes 14", 15, and the inner ends of the spring element11. The tie member 19 may be formed byrvveldin-g together the extendedportions at the respective ends of thespring element, and

its function is to assistin holding the base portions of the tire inproper position, and to prevent either spreading of such portions ormovement thereof to-vvard each other, When thetire is compressed orflattened. Thus they serve tomaintain the space be tween the baseportions of the tire for the entrance of the shock-absorber element 18.

I claim as my invention V 1. A cushion tire, comprising a resilientcasing, a plurality of spring elements spaced apart circumferentially ofand embedded in said casing, each of said elements being orsubstantially U-form and including an integral loop in its centralportion, and an annular spring member extending circumferen-tially ofand embedded in said casing,

said annular spring member extending through the loops of the respectivespring elements, but not connected directly With said elements. p v

2. A cushion tire, comprising a resilient casing, a plurality of springelements spaced apart circumferentially of and embedded in said casing,each OfSalCl elements being of 1 substantially U-form and having anintegral loop in its central portion and an integral eye at each end,together with annular members extending through the loop and eyesof allthe spring elements, said spring elements being extended beyondlthe eyesand forming a rigid tie rod arranged transversely of-thebase portion ofthe casing.

3. A cushion tire, comprising a resilient casing of substantiallyU-form, a. plurality of spring elements of substantially U-form embeddedin said casing, said casing being extend between the base portions ofthe casing and spring elements to limit lateral flattening thereof. 7 VI V V 4. A=cush1on tire, comprising a resilient casing of substantiallyUform, a plurality of spring elements of substantially U-form embeddedin said casing, said spring elements being formed with extensionsprojectrHoMAs BENSON.

